The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-22
Edttnrial 8riets.
BY REV. 1. M. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton. N. "

| TcSl6O Ill Thuklluy hd5S.J Tie ObueE udy
is the murderer Of the late Johu w
Barron, of Dexter, Me-, it would be a
great relief to many minds While the
circumstances of that case were involved
in peculiar mystery, it was never made
even probable that Cashier Barron had
| destroyed his own life. The mans mem.
ory and the good name of his otherwise
highly respected family have rested
under greet shadow. To clear up the
mystery and vindicate the iDjure dead
will accord with very general desire as
we'll with the eternal right. We wish no
i'll to the accused murderer But he
either did or he did not murder Barron.
If he did it is better for him as we'll as
for all whom he injured, that he should
be brought to justice.
For many years Gen. Grant persisted
in believing that he could not make 6
speech. At last, however, he began to
use his tongue, and came at length to be
an easy, direct and interesting if not
graceful speaker. In his first efforts,
President Cleveland was far from master
Of the platform. But the years at the
head of nation of takers, and, what is
probably more to the point, three years
in the atmosphere of Washington, has
had such an effect on him that he now
takes rank with the very best of. hand
speakers in the country. His speeches
during his recent Western journey have
evinced unusual and unexpected mastery
OF the art of discourse. 1t is gratifying
to "we the people" to have for Chief Mag
istrate man who in this as in other re-
spects creditably represents the national
character.
1t takes time to initiate even a good
custom. For dozen years the General
| Convention and the Massachusetts Con-
vention have been urging upon our par
ishes the safety and utility of vesting the
title of their church property in the Con-
ventlon. Several of the other State Con.
ventions have joined in the ATTEMPTED
persuasion. Massachusetts now reports
that it holds the title to twenty church
properties. The General Convention re-
ports something less than that number.
In New York, after several years of effort
to this end, the initiative has been taken.
and during the last year four parishes
have decided their property to the Con-
Yention. Now that beginning has been
made, let us hope that the good example
will be extensively initiated,
We meet some every year who have
for the first time in their lives attended
Convention. They are uniformly delight
ed and awakened They have a new
sense of the power and resources of the
church, of the dignity of religion, and of
the worth of their own faith. Here is a
hint of the great good that would be ac-
complished if We could get out to our
Conventions large mum bers of our people.
They would be made over, from passive
or only locally interested members. into
earnest aggressive, enthusiastic deyotees
of the cause.
The same principle may be extended.
People who do not go to church, or who
seldom go, are worth little to any church
They cannot be interested in what they
know nothing about. By an imperative
law they are becoming dead members.
People who take no denominatiopal pa
per are generally painfully ignorant of
what their brethren are doing and of all
the other things that q well-informed
person would be ashamed not to know
Go into UniVersalist home where there
are no Universalist books or papers, and
you go into one where the Universalism
Is OF pinched and peltry type.
At the New York Convention the
Rev. Jos. X, Mason, of Buffalo, was an.
pointed a committee to devise a plan
OF reaching the pastorless churches
Alas, the pastorless churches! Their
name Is legion; and every one OF them is
declining from the moment 1t becomes
pastorless. A pastor is as necessary to
parish as a chairman to public meet
ing. 1t Is true that hireling or a weak
ling Is little worth The demand
amoug our churches at least,-i about
al imperative for good shepherd as for
a shepherd at all But pastor a church
must have or prepare for Il more or less
rapid fa3e toward extinction.
The majority IN the American Board
have decided that it will not do to send
ont to the heather, missionaries who have
any doubts about the damnatiou of sucb
as have died "out of Christ" Itisaeon
sistent orthodox decision. 1t is abomip-
able, to be sure, and fitted to make al
most any form of heathenisn respectable
IN the comparison. But orthodoxy, pure
and simple, has, perhaps, less Christian
ity IN 1t than any scheme of religion that
Was ever de7ised. It's native diabolism
comes out in bright relief III the action of
the maj )rity of the American Board
We do not regret the result, although
our sympRthiea are, Of course. wholly
with the minority. 1t viii ten the in
eyitable Sooner or later the revolt NJ
the public mind and heaI from the dread-
tul dogma Of eternal danuation will be
complete. Those who persist in coueerv-
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